Alley
by redwolfoz
Summary: Alley!verse. 100 word drabble & ficlet series. Dawn deals with the aftermath of Buffy's relationship with Spike.
1. Love is Blind

**Author's note:** This is a series of drabbles — exactly 100 words — and ficlets written in response to several LiveJournal community challenges.  
**Jossverse Drabbles Challenge:** Bleeding in an alley

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**Love is Blind**

by Red Wolf

Dawn helped Spike to his feet, sighing with relief when he stayed upright, at least he could walk this time. Supporting his weight, she guided him out of the alley and back towards his crypt.

"Had a run in with something nasty, pet."

"I know." She let the lie slide, knowing full well that the _something nasty_ was her sister. Dawn wasn't stupid, she knew Buffy's handiwork when she saw it.

This wasn't the first time she had patched up her bleeding and Slayer-battered friend. Dawn just wished it would be the last, before Spike did something stupid in return.


	2. Contusions

**15 Minute Ficlets Challenge:** Collection

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**Contusions**

by Red Wolf

Dawn had managed to manhandle Spike downstairs, get him onto his bed and ply him with alcohol until he passed out. It took a little more effort to single handedly strip the insensible man so she could treat his injuries without causing him further pain.

Wincing at the collection of bruises marring his legs, Dawn was long since past the embarrassment of seeing Spike naked.

It was a slow process tending to Spike's wounds and Dawn nearly depleted her meagre supply of filched gauze and antiseptic.

As she gathered the few remaining items together, Dawn gave serious thought to how she was going to get away with stealing replacements. Spike's ribs were firmly strapped. Dawn didn't have the equipment to perform sutures, so she taped and bound the larger wounds as best she could and hoped Spike's vampire healing would kick in before her makeshift bandaging gave out.

Tossing her bag on the floor, she kicked off her shoes and climbed into bed beside Spike. He may have been out to it still, but he instinctively moved closer to her warmth, snuggling into Dawn's arms. Gently kissing his forehead, Dawn held him a little tighter as she stared at the ceiling, her tears falling silently to soak into the pillow.

The physical and emotional pain to her friend was bad enough, but having the put him back together time after time was tearing her apart. Buffy's brutality had to stop.


	3. Decisions

**Word of the Day 100 Challenge:** Ken

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**Decisions**

by Red Wolf

Dawn found she couldn't sleep.

She lay in bed contemplating the ceiling, Spike's limbs wound about her body as his face burrowed into her chest, her thoughts were churning with ways to deal with a destructive relationship that was beyond her ken.

Torn with indecision about confronting her sister, who was sneaking about like a thief in the night, Dawn could see a lot of screaming and denial in choosing that path.

Perhaps talking to Spike in the morning would be easier, at least she would have a conversation that wouldn't degenerate into name-calling.

Decision made, she drifted into sleep.


	4. Intervention

**Word of the Day 100 Challenge:** Proscribe

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**Intervention**

by Red Wolf

Dawn sat cross-legged on the bed. She couldn't proscribe Spike from seeing Buffy, as much as she wanted to, she knew he wouldn't stand for that.

"This has to stop, Spike. She'll kill you."

"I know, Bit. Still love her." At least he didn't deny it this time, but he didn't meet her eye either.

"Love isn't letting someone beat you to a pulp." Dawn pulled Spike into her arms. "Will you try and avoid being alone with her for a while?"

Spike nodded his head against Dawn's shoulder, his tears soaking into her shirt as she pulled him closer.


	5. Calm Before the Storm

**Word of the Day 100 Challenge:** Approbation

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**Calm Before the Storm**

by Red Wolf

Spike's avoidance of Buffy throughout the week had won him Dawn's approbation and, more importantly, a breather in which to fully heal.

While still casting wistful looks in Buffy's direction, Dawn also noted that Spike was steady in his resolve to honour his word. Although she suspected his promise to her meant far more to him than did concern for his own welfare.

Unfortunately, Buffy was getting impossible to live with. Twitchy and irritable, she had started to lash out at those around her. Sooner or later her sister would crack and Dawn feared it would be sooner rather later.


	6. Confrontation

**Word of the Day 100 Challenge:** Coterminous

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**Confrontation**

by Red Wolf

Dawn mused that Buffy's irritability was coterminous with being kept from Spike. She figured it would give her an arguing point when her sister condemned Spike as nothing more than a colleague.

Settling onto a stool in the kitchen, Dawn took a deep breath to prepare for the confrontation. "Buffy, we need to talk about Spike. What you're doing is wrong."

While it didn't come to blows, there was much yelling and breaking of glassware, before Buffy stormed off in a huff.

Dawn cursed Buffy's astounding lack of logic and marvelled that she was the more mature of the pair.


	7. Raining Blood

**Jossverse Drabbles Challenge:** Tori Amos: Raining Blood

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**Raining Blood**

by Red Wolf

Dawn ran after her sister, but Buffy had Slayer skills and was soon lost to her. She had little choice but to search the hard way, starting from the centre of town and spiralling out.

In the end she heard them long before she saw them. The preliminaries were over and Buffy had gotten down to the business of working out her frustrations with her fists.

"Stop it!"

Buffy looked up in surprise, Dawn held a crossbow aimed at her heart.

"Step away from Spike."

"You don't understand."

Dawn helped Spike to his feet, backing away from her sister.


	8. Respite

**15 Minute Ficlets Challenge:** Spring

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**Respite**

by Red Wolf

Dawn had finished tending the results of Spike's latest encounter with her sister and was fetching blood from the fridge when she saw the crypt door start to open. She raised her crossbow to chest level and waited for the intruder to enter, when Tara stepped into the crypt.

Tara was a little surprised to be greeted by an armed Dawn and noted that, while the girl lowered her weapon, she didn't set it aside. "How is he?" she asked in genuine concern.

"Conscious..." Dawn paused to let the impact of the word sink in. "For a change. It was mostly bruises this time, but I think there's a couple of cracked bones in his wrist."

Tara winced in sympathy and dropped her eyes, not willing to meet Dawn's direct gaze. "Buffy's at the _Magic Box_. She's very upset."

"I suppose Spike is to blame for everything." Dawn snorted in derision, she doubted Buffy was worried about Spike's welfare and was instead more concerned that her friends would discover she wasn't the princess they thought she was. Dawn had witnessed the messy consequences of far too many Slayer tantrums of late and wasn't prepared to be charitable towards her sister at the moment.

"She didn't make a lot of sense." Tara sighed. "She just said that Spike had been hurt and you were helping him. I thought you might need a hand."

Smiling for the first time since Tara arrived, Dawn visibly relaxed, the tension in her chest unwinding slowly, like a clock spring. She wasn't surprised that the only one of her friends who'd bothered to check on her and Spike was Tara.

"What happened?"

"Buffy happened." Dawn's furious look startled Tara, the girl's anger was still close to the surface. "She's been using Spike as a punching bag to avoid dealing with the fact that she's alive again. Somehow, screwing my best friend and beating the crap out of him makes her feel better about herself."

Tara blanched in shock, she knew about Buffy's relationship with Spike, but was horrified to learn that it extended to physical abuse.

"He can't stay away from her and I'm terrified she'll end up killing him." Dawn's fingers tightened into a fist, her nails biting into her palm to hold back the tears that threatened to fall. "If she actually bothers to ask, tell Buffy I won't be coming home. I'm staying here with Spike."

Tara nodded and gave Dawn a quick hug. "I'll let everyone know and bring you some clothes and other things over tomorrow."

Dawn thanked her and barring the door after Tara's departure, returned downstairs with the blood for Spike.


	9. Dysfunction

**Word of the Day 100 Challenge:** Vertiginous

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**Dysfunction**

by Red Wolf

Since Buffy had broken down and confessed the full extent of her relationship with Spike to her friends, their endless questioning was having a vertiginous effect on her.

Xander was a confused mix of glee and denial, while Willow was torn between comfort and condemnation.

Anya had suggested that if Spike was feeling in any way slighted, then Buffy could look forward to knowing the mating habits of leopard slugs intimately.

Tara didn't say anything, but her look was enough.

Dawn stood in the doorway, her arms folded across her chest, with an expression that brooked no argument. "Call Giles."


	10. Facilitation

**Word of the Day 100 Challenge:** Remonstrate

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**Facilitation**

by Red Wolf

It came as a surprise to her friends that Buffy didn't remonstrate Dawn over her suggestion to call Giles. She was finally accepting responsibility for her own actions.

Dawn mused that while Buffy was a warrior, she was clueless about life in general. She didn't have the sense to talk to her friends or family about her problems and mistook her emotional numbness for a licence to be a bitch to Spike.

Hanging up the phone, Anya announced that Giles would be on the next flight from London.

Buffy looked into the concerned faces of those around her. "Thank you."


	11. Jurisdiction

**Word of the Day 100 Challenge:** Bailiwick

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**Jurisdiction**

by Red Wolf

"Are you certain I can't convince you to come home?"

Dawn shook her head. There wasn't much point. Giles was taking Buffy on a Slayer retreat and, as much as he refused to admit it, Spike really didn't want to be alone. She'd done her part in keeping her sister from killing Spike, talking through her problems was more Giles bailiwick.

"Have fun aligning Buffy's chakras or doing the hokey pokey or whatever it is you do on a spiritual quest."

Giles sighed. You took part in one ceremony involving shaking a magical gourd and you were branded for life.


	12. Elucidation

**Television Show Based Drabbles Challenge:** Duplicity

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**Elucidation**

by Red Wolf

Expecting another ritual in the desert, Buffy was surprised when Giles led her into a smoky bar and proceeded to discuss her behaviour in a very unWatcher-like manner.

"I can understand reaching out to Spike and your need for closeness, what I don't get is your contrary treatment of him after the fact."

Buffy refused to meet his eyes. She couldn't believe anyone could want her when she was dead inside, when Spike looked at her as if she was alive and worthy of his love, she couldn't stand it.

"Spike took the pain away, I needed to feel something."


	13. The Fool

**Jossverse Drabbles Challenge:** The Fool

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**The Fool**

by Red Wolf

Dawn was telling Spike about the tarot reading Tara had done for her.

"Seems a bit rough that you got _The Fool_."

Dawn shrugged. "Not really. As long as I learn from my mistakes, it's a good card to have." It was her favourite card, so she was pleased that it had appeared.

"What did she say about me?"

"You got _The Lovers_. Tara said that it could symbolise your temptation between right and wrong." Dawn was grinning like a cat that swallowed the canary. "Or that you're caught between two women — one virginal, the other a temptress."

"Minx."


	14. Milkshakes

**15 Minute Ficlets Challenge:** Abandoned

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**Milkshakes**

by Red Wolf

Tara met Dawn after school as she did a little grocery shopping — Weet-a-bix, milk and blood for Spike — and picked up her laundry. After getting the chores out of the way, they ended up at the café drinking enormous milkshakes.

"So, you and Spike are doing fine?"

Dawn prodded her shake with the straw, scraping bubbles off the side of the glass. "He's still a bit down, but we're getting there."

Tara could see that Dawn was happy and she was doing well at school, but she was still worried at living with Spike. "You'll be moving back home soon then?"

Dawn shook her head. "I don't think so." He'd never admit it, but over the years she'd learned that Spike wasn't really good at being on his own. The only other option was if they both lived at her house, but the prospect of Spike and Buffy living together under the same roof was just asking for trouble.

Tara sipped her milkshake, looking up at Dawn through a curtain of her hair. "Isn't it a little strange sharing his bed?"

Dawn snorted, managing to make milk come out her nose, which sent her into giggles. "We share the bed, we're rarely in it at the same time. Human, vampire, opposing sleeping schedules."

"Oh." Tara smiled shyly at Dawn's teasing. "But your relationship is going to get a little complicated?"

Dawn checked off points with her fingers. "Buffy managed to desoul Angel when she was younger than I am now. The choice between experienced older guy and groping, drooling high school boy is a no-brainer. Buffy is possibly the world's worst actor, so from what I've been unfortunate enough to overhear, Spike knows what he's doing. Plus there's the bonus that he can't knock me up." Dawn took the straw out of the glass and licked milk bubbles off its length.

"Dawn!" Tara choked on her milkshake.

Dawn was laughing so hard she nearly fell off her chair. "I'm sorry, Tara. I know that was mean, but you should have seen your face."

Tara threw a handful of sugar packets at her head and joined in the giggle fest. "Still, I do remember how awful high school boys were, so you might be onto something."

Dawn grinned in delight. "I'll bear it in mind."


End file.
